Posts tagged ‘how to optimize Google places listings’

Google local listings are now featuring prominently on Google search results for most Google searches where the user is searching in a specific location.

If you want to attract more local customers with online marketing?

Here are some tips which can help to increase your website ranks in Google places and get your brand seen by more local residents searching:

Tips optimize your Google places listing:

1. Make sure your website is mobile friendly (Which is already done)

2. Fill In As Much Information As Possible

3. Page Verification (Which is already done)

4. Category Association

Once Google verifies your page, Google gives you the opportunity to associate your business with up to 10 categories (one primary and up to nine others). You must choose categories predetermined by Google, and the primary category is by far the most important.

This is a simple action that can have a surprisingly great impact on the performance of your listing. It is one of the most important things you can do to improve your local SEO. Just make sure you don’t associate with the wrong categories.

5. Name, Address, and Phone Number Consistency

One of the guiding principles for all local SEO strategies is to keep your business information consistent. That said, making sure your website and Google Places for Business page have the same information is crucial. Based on the webpage you’ve linked to your Google Places page, Google will double check that the Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP).

Another easy factor for improving your Google Places page is the number of reviews you receive. More than any other business listings site (Yelp, Yellow Pages, etc.) the reviews on Google are key to your overall success in search.

Whilst Google won’t disclose the factors that impact ranking in Google places (nothing new there!), you can be pretty sure that having reviews on your listing will help to improve your rankings.

It is best to slowly and steadily gain positive reviews from happy customers over time.

7. Local Area Code

A simple but effective improvement that you can make to a Google Places Page is to use a phone number that contains the local area code.

8. Build links to your Google places listing

Building links is an essential part of any SEO strategy, whether you’re optimizing your website, Google listing or even a YouTube video.

The one difference here, however, is that building links from local sources for your places account will have a much better impact. For example, if you provide home teaching of English and are listing yourself in directories (relevant ones and few), then you should consider submitting your places listing URL in a few of them. Google verifies places data in many different ways and this can help increase the credibility of your places, listing as well as your brand, in Google’s eyes.

9. Add Photos and Videos

You’re given the opportunity to add 10 pictures to your local listing and 5 videos. Take advantage – put them all in. Pictures of your facilities, staff, products, website captures, anything relevant to your company. This goes hand-in-hand with putting as much content as possible into your listing.

10. Provide Excellent Service

Yes, being awesome at what you do will help your Google Places listing. Why? Because when you do a great job people take notice and all of those raving fans lead to a wonderful occurrence – Reviews! Getting positive reviews will help your ranking. It’ll also make you stand out from the crowd.

11. Create An Offer

You can create a special offer for your business directly through your dashboard. Interacting with your Google Places account is going to show the search titan that you’re an engaged business owner. Google loves to see updates coming from a website or Places account. It’s also a great free way to advertise a special that your business is running.

12. Update! Update! Update!

Google loves updates – local listing or web listings. Why? Because it shows that someone cares enough about the site to be making them. If a site or listing has been the same for years, how relevant can it be? Make sure you are accessing your Places account monthly to add new pictures, videos, and creating some specials. With the changes being made over to Google+ Local you will want to keep adding content and updates to your Google+ business page.

If you implement these 12 tips and stay diligent with your updating I assure you that positive things will happen with your Google Places local listing. Remember that it can take time to gain rank, but that once you’re there the rewards can be huge.

I hope above suggestions will be beneficial to improve your website rankings in Google places.